Shloka 43

Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace

Devanagari script

इत्थंविधान्यनेकानि वसतां गुरुवेश्मनि । गुरोरनुग्रहेणैव पुमान् पूर्ण: प्रशान्तये ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

itthaṁ-vidhāny anekāni vasatāṁ guru-veśmani guror anugraheṇaiva pumān pūrṇaḥ praśāntaye

Translation

While living in our spiritual master’s home, we had many such experiences. By the guru’s grace alone, a person fulfills life’s true purpose and attains eternal peace.

Synonyms

• इत्थंविधानि: such (things)
• इत्थंविधानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इत्थम् + विधान (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘इत्थं-विधानि’ = ‘of this kind’

• अनेकानि: many
• अनेकानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• वसताम्: of (us) residing
• वसताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वसत् (कृदन्त; √वस् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those dwelling’

• गुरुवेश्मनि: in the teacher’s house
• गुरुवेश्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘गुरोः वेश्मनि’

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अनुग्रहेण: by (his) favor, grace
• अनुग्रहेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• पुमान्: a man (person)
• पुमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पूर्णः: fulfilled, complete
• पूर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्रशान्तये: for peace, tranquility
• प्रशान्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Sudāmā (brāhmaṇa friend of Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about attaining peace through the guru?

This verse states that true completeness and lasting peace arise only by the mercy of the spiritual master, even though one may undergo many experiences while living in the guru’s home.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī emphasize the guru’s mercy in the Sudāmā episode?

In narrating Sudāmā’s life, Śukadeva highlights that spiritual maturity is not merely the result of hardships or discipline, but the fruit of the guru’s grace received through sincere service and humility.

Practical application of guru-kripa (guru’s mercy) in modern life?

Cultivate teachability, serve guidance with sincerity, and measure progress by inner steadiness and humility—seeing growth as grace rather than ego-based achievement.